TOPIC: Masking Tape

Please use Artist Tape which is white in color and the glue is less sticky and leaves less residue on film. You can buy it from Art Supply Stores and it is very expensive or order it in bulk from your cinema supplier.

That said, never use tape to secure the leader to the film while breaking down a print. Please make a one sided splice. It's easier to deal with when building up a print and will not damage more than the one frame.

I caught my assistant manager breaking down a print using artist tape to secure the leader to the print the other day. I gave him firm instructions. I'm so embarrassed that I will not even admit this over on Film-Tech.

Simple rule: Splices should NOT be visible to the audience, nor cause any disruption to the soundtrack. (This disqualifies opaque tape).

It also goes without saying that the film should be spliced in register, in frame, and with the proper perforations. Some foolishly do not inspect film before projection (or aren't given enough time), and any splices you leave in the print should NOT be likely to cause a film break or projector jam.

[This message has been edited by John Pytlak (edited November 23, 2002).]

But what about the crappy thermal splices mid frame from the labs? Talk about annoying! Lately, we have seen alot of them! Customers have never ever complained about our using yellow splicing tape on reel changes, nor do they ever ask what those BIG circles are in the corner of the film every 20 minutes. Cue marks.... once you tell a person to look for them, they hate you for the rest of their life.

One way to find a "lab splice" is to look at the sidewall of each reel by bright reflected light at a grazing angle. The slight roughness differences from the film slitter knives is usually different for each roll of raw stock, and you will see a gloss difference in the film on each side of the splice.

Of course, there's always the good practice of winding the film between your thumb and forefinger to feel for damaged perfs or splices.

The splices are made under darkroom "safelight" conditions, before the images are even printed on the film, and the printer operator has only about 30 seconds to make the splice, so it's difficult to index them to lie on the framelines.
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: 585-477-5325 Cell: 585-781-4036 Fax: 585-722-7243
E-Mail:
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Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

[This message has been edited by John Pytlak (edited November 25, 2002).]